coupon trends

**lotsadebt** · 01-07-2009, 03:17 PM

It is just me or the economy that it seems like recently there has been a decrease in the number of loss leaders and great coupon matches available?

I live in Northeastern Ohio and the trends in the major grocery stores have not been that great. It seems like Aldi's is getting more of my business. I still go to a main grocery store Giant Eagle they do have fuel perks for things plus they have fuel perks for free gas.

**IntlMom** · 01-07-2009, 03:28 PM

nope , not just you or your location.

It's everywhere. the coupons are not what they used to be, and the discounts arent't as deep as they used to be. It;s alot harder to find those great deals than it used to be, that;s for sure. When you do find them, make sure that you more than you think you will need, cause the time in between them has increased also.

It;s a bummer, that's for sure.

**3LittleMonkeys** · 01-10-2009, 11:24 AM

I was commenting to my husband the other day about this. You have to buy more product with the coupon and get less of a discount. Like 75 or 50 cents off of THREE boxes of cereal. Rather than 50 cents off of ONE.

Its very discouraging. I am to the point of what the purpose of coupons are even for. Just not do coupons and reduce the price off all products! Rather than the companies spend the $$ in advertising and coupons, just discount what they would of spent.

**spyzvixxen** · 01-10-2009, 02:04 PM

All of the above. I'm finally getting back into the coupons since I can get out to get the papers now. Last Sunday I noticed the coupons that are usually .75 off are now .50 off and the items I used to depend on getting for free are no more. The cost of the papers almost negates any savings I may have since I now only buy what I'm going to use and not just because it's a good deal. It's a sad state of affairs in my world!

**thefrug** · 01-10-2009, 03:41 PM

I won't use a coupon unless the brand is on sale and with the coupon the price is cheaper than the store brand. I am not brand loyal. I have also noticed that the amount of coupons in the papers have been lowered. I can get the Washington Post here in this area. That paper used to be THE paper for coupons ( and really good coupons at that!). Now, my local paper has more coupons in than the Washington Post! My store has coupons on it's site also. I check them every week. It helps to have a bonus card at a store because you get emails with really good coupons in it. I just got one thats $2 off $5 of produce!

**3LittleMonkeys** · 01-10-2009, 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by thefrug

I won't use a coupon unless the brand is on sale and with the coupon the price is cheaper than the store brand. I am not brand loyal. I have also noticed that the amount of coupons in the papers have been lowered. I can get the Washington Post here in this area. That paper used to be THE paper for coupons ( and really good coupons at that!). Now, my local paper has more coupons in than the Washington Post! My store has coupons on it's site also. I check them every week. It helps to have a bonus card at a store because you get emails with really good coupons in it. I just got one thats $2 off $5 of produce!

Thats like us. I can usually get Great Value brand at Walmart cheaper than I can a national brand with a coupon.

**Mavourneen** · 01-10-2009, 04:28 PM

I agree with all of the above - and I get the Washington Post, too!

I've learned in the past few weeks that coupons are VERY regional and what is distributed in the Pacific NW may not EVER be offered in the South, etc.

Two suggestions:

Get a subscription to All You magazine, or pick it up next time you are at Walmart, as it is only available by subscription or in Walmart. It is the #1 magazine source for coupons in the US, and well worth the time to and $ to get it. Most monthly issues have anywhere between 14-20 coupons.

Start using coupon clipping services online. I've found both thecouponclippers.com and thecouponmasters.com to be honest reliable sites and offer coupons from all over the country. Buy the coupons you want, and only the coupons you want. All are the real coupon, clipped from the weekly inserts. Nothing printed from the Internet, which no stores take now anyways.

**homesteadmamma** · 01-10-2009, 06:13 PM

We've never had many coupons in our province. However I'm finding more of late, only they are coupons I don't use. The loss leaders have been horrible.

**monkeywrangler71** · 01-10-2009, 06:24 PM

I found the sales here were getting worse and worse for the past year, but have actually just started to improve. I noticed because my 'buy' instinct was going crazy the past month or so and my closet is full. Coupons haven't been great, but it's a slow time of year for coupons around here, most expired last month and there hasn't been much out since.

**Michelle** · 01-10-2009, 07:03 PM

The coupons just keep getting worse and worse. I don't have double coupons here, so using a coupon for $0.50/3 is just ridiculous.

It's really too bad. I loved the thrill of getting great loss leaders and super discounts w/coupons.

Now the only place I really save a lot is CVS.

**missyali** · 01-10-2009, 08:11 PM

My coupons & sales at the drug stores were decent this past week. As far as groceries, Aldi's is my new place to shop.

**thefrug** · 01-11-2009, 07:18 AM

I'll be getting the sunday papers today and see what the differences are. My local paper usually has one extra pack of coupons in it than the D.C paper(wash.post).

I don't get it with the companies. You would think that they would offer a better incentive(better coupon prices) so that people would buy their products. It seems to be just the opposite.

**mrsfoamy** · 01-11-2009, 09:56 AM

I don't even bother with coupons for food anymore.
The store brands still come out cheaper. I do go through the coupons for my hair color, razors and batteries. Then I check the drug store ads to see if those items are also on sale. I'm fine with store brand food, but sometimes the toiletries and personal products just don't measure up.

**thefrug** · 01-11-2009, 11:43 AM

Well, this week there was one pack of coupons from Redplum and one from Smartsourse in the local papers. Only a Redplum in the big D.C. paper.
I'm beginning to lean towards not buying the city paper and stick with the local ones.
My grocery store is having their gi-CAN-tic sale now. 10 for $10 on things like canned soups,canned pastas( chef boy r dee),cake mixes, etc. Guess I'll be stocking up on some things LOL

**Pemberleyan** · 01-11-2009, 12:01 PM

I'm with 3LittleMonkeys; I can almost always buy a store brand cheaper anyway. The other day, though, I happened to have a Domino sugar coupon which made theirs cheaper than the Walmart brand. I almost always buy hair color when it's on sale at CVS or somewhere else, but I don't find the great deals so many do at CVS; I guess I just don't buy that many of those types of items.